RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina State athletic director Debbie Yow knows the work to build a national top-25 sports program is even tougher now with the Wolfpack hovering near the edge of that goal.In fact, Yow said in an interview with The Associated Press, completing the final steps of that climb could be more difficult than it was to reach the schools current position.Were now into an area where there are very good coaches everywhere, programs that are well-resourced, facilities that are excellent, she said. We have to overcome all of that. Weve got to take someones place. And yeah, that is our goal and I said that the day I was hired six years ago. And it still is.N.C. State stood at 89th in the Directors Cup rankings of Division I sports programs when Yow arrived from Maryland in the summer of 2010. It finished at No. 32 in last weeks final standings for the 2015-16 season after posting its best finish at No. 27 the year before.The school has been ahead of the annual schedule laid out in a five-year strategic plan from 2012. The coming season is the target date to reach top-25 status.We put a stake in the ground. Thats how you have to do this, Yow said. You cant be afraid to put a stake in the ground and then go for it . or (you cant) say, `I cant do that because we might not make it, because thats a horrible way to live.When Yow arrived, N.C. State was coming off a season in which one team finished in the top 25 of its national rankings, while the Wolfpack spent about $78,000 annually per student-athlete, according to the schools report to the U.S. Department of Educations gender equity database.That number has grown to about $109,000 in the most recent numbers for 2014-15 to rank near the middle of the Atlantic Coast Conference. And last year, nine programs earned top-25 finishes, with cross country, mens swimming and diving, and womens swimming and diving finishing in the top 10.The highest-profile sports had mixed results. Football made a second straight bowl appearance but fell a win shy of the previous years total. Both basketball programs missed the NCAA Tournament. Baseball was a regional host and a strike away from eliminating eventual College World Series champion Coastal Carolina.Yow -- a former womens basketball coach at Kentucky, Florida and Oral Roberts -- is particularly optimistic about the season ahead for both basketball programs.Hampered by injuries and a shorthanded roster, the mens team missed the NCAAs for the first time in five years under Mark Gottfried but welcomes Scout.coms No. 6-ranked national recruiting class. The womens team had a 20-win season that Yow said without any question deserved an NCAA bid for third-year coach Wes Moore.Were going to sail, Yow said while praising Moores recruiting. Were going to be good. Were going to be fun to watch.That enthusiasm extends to the near-completion of a $35 million revamp to Reynolds Coliseum.Work began in March 2015, displacing womens basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling into temporary venues. The project included shifting the seating bowl to one end of the nearly 70-year-old campus arena, opening space for new team offices and the Wolfpacks sports walk of fame.Teams are due to return next month. Yow said the campus covered about $15 million to share costs with athletics in a project on schedule and under budget, two of my favorite phrases.I think weve maximized what it will be and can be, she said. Because the walk of fame and history is there, it will become important to football and mens basketball because theyll have big displays there. So well be taking recruits in all sports through there. Weve never had any place like that.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap Custom Heat Jersey China . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Authentic Custom Heat Jersey . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. http://www.customheatjersey.com/custom-chris-bosh-jersey-large-70y.html . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. Custom Heat Jerseys .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Custom Heat T-shirts . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. PITTSBURGH -- Vince Velasquez didnt have his best stuff, the Philadelphia Phillies lost another player to injury and the Pittsburgh Pirates got a big hit from the unlikeliest of sources.The woes continued for the Phillies at PNC Park on Sunday, with Philadelphia losing to Pittsburgh 5-4, dropping their three-game series two games to one.The Phillies have now lost three consecutive series in Pittsburgh with just one win in that span. Since PNC Park opened in 2001, they are 16-31 at the home of their in-state rival.Diminutive Pirates rookie utilityman Adam Frazier hit a pinch-hit home run off reliever Edubray Ramos in the seventh inning to complete Pittsburghs come-from-behind victory. It was Fraziers first major league home run and first time going deep since Sept. 5, when he was with Double-A Altoona.But even before Fraziers improbable heroics, things werent going well for the Phillies. Usually reliable starter Velasquez gave up four runs while taking 107 pitches to get through six innings.Just looking at his body language, he showed that he was struggling to find the strike zone, manager Pete Mackanin said. He didnt have his best location. He did a good job; he just made a couple bad pitches when they scored the two runs. Obviously, he wasnt at his best, but he kept us in the game.In the sixth inning, Velasquez gave up a double to Starling Marte on a 0-2 pitch that quickly sent things off the rails. It was followed by a first-pitch, two-run home run by Matt Joyce that tied the game.Thats just a matter of finishing at-bats, Velasquez said. Youve got to lock in on 0-2 counts when youre ahead. Youve got to finish the at-bat. Knowing that that was my last inning, thats where you have to bear down and give it all youve got.The Pirates also scored a pair in the second inning. Marte led with a single and Elias Diaz drove him in with a groundout to record his first career RBI. Sean Rodriguez then drove in Joyce with a double to center.Philadelphias early offense came on a pair of solo home runs from Odubel Herrera and Andres Blanco that -- along with a two-run third inning -- helped the Phillies build a 4-2 lead. In the third, Velasquez singled off his mound opponent, Jameson Taillon, and Cesar Hernandez drove him in with a triple off the wall in center field.dddddddddddd Hernandez then came around to score on Herreras groundout.Cesar came through for us, Mackanin said of the three-hit afternoon by his second baseman. The home run by Herrera was nice to see. We just need to score more runs.Fraziers home run made a winner of reliever Neftali Feliz (4-0). Mark Melancon earned his 30th save. The game was delayed an hour and 32 minutes by a thunderstorm in the bottom of the eighth inning.ANOTHER LOSSIn a series that had already seen Maikel Franco and Cameron Rupp miss time after being hit by pitches, Blanco was injured on a seemingly routine play in the fifth inning. With Gregory Polanco attempting to steal third, Blanco took the throw from catcher Carlos Ruiz and put the tag down, only to have Polanco land on his glove as he slid. Blanco has a fractured left index finger that required four stitches.Thats going to hurt us, Mackanin said. We always could rely on him to play solid defense, come up with big hits. Anywhere we put him, he plays solid defense. Hes just a great guy to have around.TRAINING ROOMPhillies: Franco replaced Blanco at third base. It was his first action since being removed from Fridays game after being hit by a pitch in his wrist. He went 1 for 2 at the plate. ... C Rupp did not play as a precaution after being hit in the head with a pitch Saturday. Concussion tests done Saturday night and before the game Sunday were negative.Pirates: RHP Tyler Glasnow was placed on the 15-day disabled list before the game with shoulder discomfort.UP NEXTPhillies: Jeremy Hellickson (7-7, 3.84 ERA) will start a three-game set in Miami. In his last seven starts, hes walked just seven batters and has a 0.98 WHIP while lowering his ERA by half a run. The Phillies enter the series 9 1/2 games behind the Marlins for the final NL Wild Card spot.Pirates: Francisco Liriano (6-9, 4.96 ERA) will begin a two-game series against the Seattle Mariners after an off day Monday. The Pirates have rearranged their starting rotation to keep Liriano and Gerrit Cole on as close to five days of rest as possible during a stretch where they have four days off in a three-week span. ' ' '